Gate-latch



(No Modem:

S GORROTHERS.

GATE LATCH.

No. 417,408. PatentedDeo. 17, I889.

ATTORNEY N, PETERS. FMMl-ilhognphm, Wuhinfipn, D. I).

' UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

SAMUEL CORRO THERS, OF GRAFTON, VEST VIRGINIA.

GATE-LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,408, dated December 17, 1889.

Application filed August 14, 1889. serial No. 320,780. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL CORROTHERS, residing at Grafton, in the county of Taylor and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate- 1Il atches, of which the following is a specifica- My invention has for its object to provide a simple, cheap, and effective gate-latch; and it consists in providing one of the panels of the fence-section adjacent to the latch-post of the gate with a Wooden bar secured thereto, having a free elastic end arranged to project in the path of the front bar of the gate, and adapted when engaged by said bar to hold the gate closed.

It further consists in the peculiar arrangement and combination of the several parts whereby said object is obtained, all of which will hereinafter be fully described in the annexed specification and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had .to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of a portion of a fence and a gate with my improvedlatch applied. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of a modification hereinafter referred to. Fig. 4 is a perspective of the key or wedge, and Fig. 5 is a detail view hereinafter specifically referred to.

In the accompanying drawings, A indicates the fence; A, the hinge-post, to which is hinged the gate B, constructed in any suitable manner, preferably as shown in the drawings. The gate, which is of the ordinary panel form, is provided with the usual front bar B, which, when the gate is closed, abuts against the gate-post A The section A of the fence adjacent to the post A I arrange at an angle to the gate and main portion of the fence.

, C denotes the latch-bar, which is secured at its rear end by the nails 0 c to the outer face of one of the rails Cb of the fence-section A The forward end 0 of the bar 0 is formed so it will be free from and project slightly forward of the rail a, as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. 7

By referring to Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings the peculiar manner in which the latch-bar C is connected and operates will be readily understood. It will be seen that by securing the latch-bar to the fence so that its forward end will engage the front face of the gate-bar B at an angle, and by securing the bar 0 so as to allow its forward end to move freely in or out to a limited extent, the said forward end will always be in the path of the gate-bar B, which, when the gate is closed in, will engage the said free end of the bar 0, cause it to curve outward, as shown, and, owing to-its elasticity, the said bar 0 will tightly press against the gate and hold it in a closed position. It will be further observed by reference to the dotted lines 1 1 and 2 2, which indicate the curves in which the forward end of the gate and the forward end of the latch bar move, that to adjust the free end of the bar 0 farther away from the part A will make its elastic bearing against the gate-bar greater. Conveniently to adjust said latch-bar in such desired positions, when the end of said bar may have become worn or the bar itself be shrunk or Warped from the weather, I provide an adj ustablewedge D, which I arrange to slide between the free end of the latch-bar and the panel a, and which, when adjusted toward the pivot or fixed point .0 of the bar 0, will cause the forward end to project forward to a greater degree. The wedge D, which is shown in detail in Fig. 4:, is provided with an offset (1 and a head portion d, which rests upon the bar C and holds the wedge from displacement.

The bar 0 is adj ustedat such an angle and in' such a length that when its free end is pressed against the post A it will become disengaged from contact with the gate-bar B, and thereby permit the gate to be swung open.

If desired, my improvement may be applied to fences haying horizontally-swinging gates now in use by securing a projecting block E to the fence-post A securing the rail a to said block on said post, and placing the latch-bar on said block and rail, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3of the drawings.

In operation, the wedge D having been inserted to force the free end of the bar 0 outward, as desired, the gate, when closed, will engage the said free end and cause it to spring out, as shown in full lines, the elasticity of the bar, however, forcing the free end tightly against the gate-post B and holding it in place. By pressing against the free end of the latch-bar C and pulling on the gate the gate can be readily opened.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the advantages of my improvement will readily appear. It will be seen that the same is exceedingly simple, the cost thereof merely nominal, and its operation both positive and effective.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A latch-bar or fastener for gates, consisting of a bar having a free elastic end adapted to move laterally, said bar arranged to engage an abutment with its outer free end and disposed at any angle except a right angle to its abutment, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with the horizontallyswinging gate B, of a latch-bar formed of a wooden rail or bar secured to the fence, having a free forward end adapted to engage the front face of the forward end of the gate, said bar disposed at an angle to the normal line of the gate when closed, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with a horizontallyswinging gate B, provided with a front bar B, of a fence-section arranged at an angle to the normal line of the fence and gate,and the latchbar 0, secured at its rear end to said fencesection, its forward end being free and projecting slightly in the path of bar B of the gate and adapted to engage the front face of the same, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination, with the horizontallyswinging gate B, of a fence-section arranged at an angle to the normal line of the fence and gate, a horizontal latch-bar secured to one of the rails a of the fence-section, said bar having an elastic free forward end adapted to engage the front edge or face of the gate and projected slightly in the path of said gate, and a wedge disposed between said panel a and the free end of the bar O, whereby the clasticity of said bar may be adjusted, substantially as shown and described.

SAMUEL CORROTI'IERS.

lVitnesses:

L. W. BoYLEs, L. O. HAYWARD. 

